Senator John Barrasso said Sunday that his confirmation hearing Tulsi GabbardPresident-elect Donald Trump's pick for director of national intelligence is on hold due to a “paperwork issue” with the Office of Government Ethics.
“We expected the hearing to happen this weekend. It looks like it's going to happen next week,” Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican and Senate majority whip, said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
The delay comes because several other Trump picks are scheduled to come before committees this week His inauguration on 20th JanuaryBefore a confirmation vote in the Senate, Gabbard must appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which must receive paperwork for nominees at least a week before the scheduled hearing.
Gabbard served in the Army National Guard and represented Hawaii in the House as a Democrat from 2013 to 2021. Trump's selection of Gabbard has drawn scrutiny over her lack of intelligence background, as well as her views on Russia, recently ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Qaeda. -Assad and other American adversaries.
CBS News
Barrasso, who as whip is responsible for counting Republican votes, said she is supportive of Gabbard and is not worried about Gabbard having enough support for confirmation.
“His promotion in the Army is ongoing. He is a lieutenant colonel. He now has a top-level security clearance,” Barrasso said. “He is the right person to keep America safe.”
“The rubber hits the road with committee hearings this week,” Barrasso said of Senate Republicans. And he said that when Trump met with Republican senators a few days ago, the president-elect said the number one goal for the Senate should be “to get his team in place.”
The Wyoming Republican said he has met with nearly all of Trump's picks for top administration positions and said he “supports every single one of these nominees as whip.”
“My job is to make sure they get to the finish line, get to work and get the team President Trump deserves quickly,” Barrasso said.